Every once in a while, a game drops that completely surprises you — not because it’s flashy, or massive, but because it takes something complex… and makes it feel comforting.
That’s Little Rocket Lab.
Building a Dream
Developed by Teenage Astronauts and published by No More Robots, it’s a cozy automation sim where you don’t just build machines—you rebuild hope, community, and maybe even a childhood dream. And somehow, it turns the grind of industry into something gentle, meaningful, and, yeah—kind of heartwarming.
You play as Morgan, returning home to St. Ambroise, a once-bustling town that’s gone quiet. Your family’s old dream—a rocket to the stars—was never finished. Now it’s up to you to pick up where they left off, one blueprint at a time.
To the Stars
There’s a story here, but it’s not told through dramatic cutscenes or exposition dumps. It unfolds slowly—through conversations with locals, through the creak of old machinery, through moments where you realize this isn’t just about rockets. It’s about rebuilding what was lost.
It’s got that small-town charm—part Stardew Valley, part Spiritfarer—but grounded in something a little more industrial. You’re not planting crops; you’re wiring circuits, restoring generators, and chasing the stars.
At its core, Little Rocket Lab is a cozy automation game. You’ll gather resources, refine them, and build interconnected systems—smelters feeding assemblers, conveyors looping between machines, power networks keeping it all alive.
If you’ve played Factorio or Satisfactory, you’ll feel right at home—but don’t expect the same intensity. Little Rocket Lab takes that genre and gives it a cup of tea and a soft blanket. There’s no stress timer, no alien attacks, no punishment for taking your time. Instead, it rewards experimentation. You can break things down, rebuild, try again. The joy here isn’t in efficiency—it’s in watching things work.
And that moment when your first full production line runs smoothly? It’s pure serotonin.
Community Tinkerer
What sets Little Rocket Lab apart is how it mixes all that mechanical tinkering with something human. You’re not isolated in a factory—you’re part of a community. Every machine you fix, every item you craft, somehow helps the people around you.
You’ll do side jobs for locals, repair broken tech, and uncover stories that give each person purpose. Some will help your progress, some just need a kind word. And that balance between creation and connection? That’s the game’s secret sauce. There’s something special about ending a long in-game day, stepping outside, and seeing the town lights flicker back to life because of you.
It’s small moments like that where Little Rocket Lab quietly shines.
Visually, the game is gorgeous—not in a hyper-realistic way, but in how it captures warmth. Soft edges, painterly colors, and a subtle bloom that gives every frame this hazy, nostalgic glow. It’s like watching an old childhood dream come alive.
The soundtrack is a standout too—gentle guitar, chill beats, and just enough ambient hum to make the world feel alive. It shifts between cozy calm and quiet focus as your machines click into rhythm. You’ll find yourself zoning out in the best possible way—lost in loops, surrounded by beauty.
Performance-wise, Little Rocket Lab runs smoothly. The demo plays great on Steam Deck, and the team has confirmed Xbox support and Game Pass plans at launch.
So, where does Little Rocket Lab land? It’s cozy, but not shallow. It’s technical, but not intimidating. It’s the rare game that bridges those two worlds—one that lets you build complex systems while still caring about the people behind them.
Final Thoughts
So that’s Little Rocket Lab. For fans of Spiritfarer, My Time at Sandrock, or Automation Academy, this is an easy recommendation. But more than that—it’s a game that feels good to play. Peaceful, rewarding, and quietly inspiring. You start by fixing old machines… and before long, you realize you’ve fixed the town, and maybe even a little piece of yourself too.
Review Code provided by the Publisher.
Little Rocket Lab
Played on
Xbox Series X
PROS
- Feels great to play
- Peaceful and Rewarding
- Cozy, but not shallow
- Rock solid performance
CONS
- You can only save when going to sleep at night
